Summer With Derek
by SilverMouth
Summary: Ever wondered what 'Mione does over the summers? Well apparently, she dates muggle boys. And everybody finds out. My second fic, first not finished. Please review for more chapters! PreDH, HGOC
1. Chapter 1

_So… Hi. My name is Catie. This is my second fic, my other one is under faerie tales and you should SO read it. I have a LOT of reviews. This fic is goanna be rated T for minimal swearing and maybe some short, suggestive scenes. Being a weird 14 year old, I have no "experience" if you catch my meaning. I love to write and hope people will like this. It's going to be a comedy, I think I got the idea while reading the 3rd book for the fifty-something-ith time. Seriously, what DOES Hermione do during the summers? Read and review!_

----

Hermione Granger lay on the grass, staring into the pale blue sky above and letting her thoughts stray as she stretched her arms high above her head, pointing her toes down.

Being back at home calmed her after a hard school year. In the whirlwind of exams, applying for jobs and making time for Oliver and her friends she almost forgot how to relax and take a break. In a way, she was thankful that her parents had foregone their annual vacation to Italy or Rome or the States or somewhere else equally as exotic.

Hermione was just drifting off for a quick cat nap when a shadow appeared above her head. The years of learning lightening fast reflexes in order to protect herself from Voldemort brought her hand flying to her pocket. Yes, Voldemort had been killed by Ginny one year previous, but his cronies were still lurking in the bleak corners of dark wizarding circles.

Hermione leapt to her feet, wand straight out and pointing at the young man who stood before her. Her face grew pink as she realized that the person standing before her was a muggle. A certain muggle whom she knew…

"Derek?" she asked in utmost disbelief. The young man raked a hand through his thick hair and smiled charmingly.

"Well, well Hermione Granger, I haven't seen you in a while." He glanced down at her wand.

"Make that a couple of years," she replied, trying to regain her composure as she stuffed her wand into her Levis. "Just a – um… stick for my dog," she laughed, indicating the wooden rod.

"A dog? You seem more like a cat person to me," Derek cocked his head to one side. He had grown up, and dear God, he was cute. And couldn't be so close to the truth.

"Family dog," she explained, hoping he wouldn't insist on meeting the thing. Although she once learned it, conjuring up a canine wasn't exactly the first thing she did in the morning.

"Well, I'll have to meet him sometime," Derek smiled again. "I'm such a dog lover. I have one of my own. Maybe we could go on a quick walk sometime." Damn.

"Oh. Yes, of course. Clever idea." She laughed nervously, picking at a stray thread on a sweater which Ginny had recently forbid her from wearing in public. And of all the days she decided to wear it, she just had to meet Derek. Typical. "We'll have to do it sometime. Well then, I'm off." Hermione said, faking cheeriness as she turned and began walking in the other direction.

"Wait." Derek reached out and let a hand loosely onto her shoulder. "Coffee?" he asked. So simple. This wasn't anything like Oliver's nervous stuttering as he asked her to dance at the Christmas dance two years ago. But no. Oliver was enough. She didn't have to be greedy, she already had a boyfriend. She didn't aim to be one of those hopeless girls who nobody likes, the ones who have six men who worship her to the ends of the earth. Hermione stayed true. Always. Except maybe just this once. Only coffee. It wasn't _really _a date. Just a quick bite to eat and then a walk in the park with their dogs.

Hermione jolted herself. She didn't even own a dog! What was she thinking? But then again… why not have a bit of fun this summer. Nobody needed to know. She was in the muggle world, so why not?

"I'd love to," Hermione exclaimed. "I don't have much to do this summer and it would put and end to the awful boredom I'm attempting to endure." It was a lame joke, but Derek laughed all the same.

"I know a place down the street a ways." Derek gestured to the street in front of Hermione's yard. Come to think of it, what was Derek doing in the yard anyways? It's not as if their families were close. She knew him from elementary school, their parents hadn't even met that she knew of. "We could walk our dogs down."

"Our… dogs?" Hermione asked weekly. "We can't get to yours so maybe it's better if we just leave them at home…"

"No trouble. My house is on the way and Max needs a walk anyways."

"Well it won't work for me because… Fifi is at the vet's. She has an ear infection." Hermione lied. Fifi? _Fifi?! _Who would name a dog _Fifi?!_ Derek bit his lip.

"Then why are you getting a stick…?" he asked her, cocking his head to one side once more.

"Because she's coming back soon and well – er – all dogs like a good stick." Hermione tossed her head knowingly. Derek's brow furrowed but he didn't delve any deeper into the story. "I'm just going to go inside and change," she indicated her sweater. "Into something… something else." Derek shrugged.

"I don't have much money with me right now, and I refuse to let you pay. Why don't we meet in about forty-five minutes?" Derek suggested. Hermione agreed, all too ready to bolt.

She managed to calmly walk him to the gate, waving goodbye as he left, promising to be on time. The minute he was out of her line of vision, Hermione dashed to the house.

Her parents, who worked at dentists, left about an hour ago (nine o' clock), promising to be home in time for family dinner. Yeah right. This still meant that she had until at least six, and she could always call home and say that she met some old friends and was going for a night out.

"Stop!" Hermione told herself as she mounted the stairs leading to her bedroom. "It doesn't matter if they're here or not because it's a quick coffee!" She said it aloud to drill the thought into her head, but did not succeed. "If it's a flipping quick coffee, why do I even care what I looked like?" she asked herself.

Hermione stopped at the second floor landing a plucked at her orange sweater. "Well, this is an embarrassing to have in my closet, so I 'spose I should change. Maybe into the cute cropped tank I just bought." Hermione made for her hall closet. Opening the door, she stopped herself.

"No! I was saving that for Oliver!" she yelled to herself. After a few moments of staring at her closet, Hermione sighed. "I don't know what to wear." She grumbled to herself.

"How about this?" A pale hand reached around Hermione and pointed to a short jean skirt.

"No, no…" Suddenly Hermione whirled. "Ginny?" she asked in utmost disbelief.

"No, it's George," Ginny joked. "I just got my apparating license and decided to come visit you. Did you know that if you picture a space next to where a person is standing, you can appear next to them?"

"Uh-uh. That's cool." Hermione enveloped Ginny into a tight bear hug.

"But if you just picture the person, things can be catastrophic," Ginny hugged her friend back, but continued her jabbering. "Apparently, you go inside of them, or at least your personality does… but you can't get to your body and the only way to be extricated is to go to the ministry but then you get your license taken away," Ginny explained.

"You're still the same old Gin!" Hermione laughed as she let go of her friend.

"Now, what _are _you doing?" Ginny asked Hermione. "And why are you wearing that sweater? I though I told you how ugly it was and therefore made it clear that you weren't to wear it!" Ginny scolded, lightly smacking Hermione on the arm.

"Well I was expecting to have a day at home. You know, alone."

"Is that a hint for me to leave?"

"Oh, no!" Hermione exclaimed. "I need your help. See, there's this guy that I met –" Ginny held up her hands.

"Hold it." She instructed Hermione. "Whatever happened to Wood?" Ginny asked, crossing her arms.

"Damn, I was hoping you wouldn't ask," Hermione chuckled, attempting to blow off the question. Ginny crossed her arms, arching an eyebrow as she looked accusingly at Hermione. Silence ensued for only a brief moment. "Summer is when you're supposed to have fun!" Hermione exclaimed defensively. "He's really nice, and Oliver doesn't need to know. I mean, it's not like we've proclaimed being exclusive."

"Yeah, but… don't you feel even a little bit bad?"

"Maybe a smidge," Hermione confessed. "But I already agreed. Will you help me?" Hermione pleaded to her friend, lower lip sticking out in a overplayed pout. Ginny considered, mouth pulled to one side.

"I suppose," Hermione flew at Ginny, folding her into a tight squeeze. "Get off me until that sweater is _gone. _The bad style might be contagious."

------

Half an hour later, Hermione stood in front of her full length mirror, a smug-faced Ginny positioned behind her.

"It's a bit skimpy," Hermione commented, looking at the black velvet micromini she didn't remember buying (Ginny had, in fact, conjured it after Hermione's stern request to stick with the clothes in her closet) and a maroon, low cut v-neck sweater.

"It has long sleeves to compensate for the skirt."

"About the skirt, I _swear _I didn't buy this. I never would." Hermione turned to glance at Ginny, whose eyes traveled to her feet.

"Maybe it was a gift." Ginny suggested, not meeting Hermione's eyes. Hermione chose not to press the subject, time was running short.

"I've got to meet Derek in fifteen minutes and I have no idea where the café is." Hermione told Ginny.

"Okay, I guess I can let you go." Ginny consented. "Don't you _dare_ put your hair up! The potion I used on it expensive."

"Wish me luck!" Hermione said, adding a bit more lip gloss and wiping away a bit of the excessive blush which had been applied by Ginny.

"Good luck!" Ginny clapped a hand on her shoulder. "Promise you'll floo me when you get back?" Her friend asked.

"I promise I'll floo you." A heavy sigh left Hermione. "Don't tell a soul." Ginny nodded. "I'll kill you." Ginny pouted.

"Don't you trust me?" she asked. Hermione grinned.

"You're the most notorious gossip in school, Gin!" Hermione's friend smiled.

"You can trust me with anything, girl." Ginny assured her. "Now go knock this Derek guy off his heels!" With a crack, Ginny disappeared.

----

"And then I told her to knock the Derek guy off his heels!" Ginny finished with a flourish. Ron's jaw hung open.

"Wow," he replied. "Hermione doesn't seem like she would do that."

"Ron, you've known her for seven years. I'd think you know her well enough by now that she can sometimes be very erratic. She's only a goody-girl at school. It works well enough. All the professors love her."

"Except Snape."

"Yes, except Snape. But that's not the point. She deserves some excitement." Ginny retorted wryly. The siblings sat in content silence for a moment. Molly and Arthur were currently in Nice for their anniversary, a gift from Fred and George after the twins' success with the joke shop.

Fred and George now lived in penthouse in the middle of London, Percy had moved out long ago, and their other brothers were long gone, only coming back for the occasional visit. The house seemed oddly quite with so few people in it. Molly and Arthur were set to return in two weeks and for the time being, Ginny and Ron were alone. Fred and George came to dinner every few nights to keep them company.

Luckily, Harry was coming to spend the rest of the summer at the burrow after an auror seminar at the ministry's training facilities. Wood, who had become close to Ron after he started dating Hermione, was arriving in a couple of weeks, a couple of days before Hermione. While mulling this over, Ron's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Harry's going to be shocked when he hears this bit of news! And Fred and George'll find it hilarious. I'm goanna go floo them right now!" Ron exclaimed, jumping to his feet.

"No!" Ginny followed her brother, roughly grabbing Ron's shirt as he attempted to bolt "_Nobody _know! I swore I wouldn't tell a soul, and here I go telling you!"

"But – but Harry needs to know! And Fred and George will think it's _so _funny!" Ron protested.

"No," Ginny said, planting one hand on her hip and grasping Ron's shirt tighter. "You'd better not." Ron pouted.

"I _really _want to tell somebody!" Ron exclaimed.

"Go tell Pig or something," Ginny instructed sternly. "I'm going to go prepare dinner." A frown on appeared on Ron's freckled face, but he slowly relaxed.

"Fine," Ron grumbled. "But they'll find out sooner or later anyways." Ginny rolled her eyes and set off for the kitchen.

----

_Gin is a bad little girl, eh? I, personally, find it very funny. That could be because I know what's going to happen next.  I'm trying to keep my chapters long, around six or seven pages. I wrote this quickly, so please tell me if you see any mistakes. I might not update constantly due to long chapters and the need to write my other fic which, if you like this, you should read. Please review! I like any kind – flames, lovin' it, criticisms… I just like reviews!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry. I don't own Hermione. I don't own Ron. Or Oliver. Or any other Harry Potter characters. Nothing from the books. That's ALL Jo's. But Derek is MINE. Mwahahahaha! ALL MINE! Evil Giggle _

_I'm sorry if people mind my occasional "damns" but I'm not going to avoid it in Harry Potter fics. Sorry guys, but I refuse. 8P You know you love me anyways._

_Thanks to Nina (not a username), Yabberli, and Dea (not a username) for reviewing! I love it when you do, and all who review will be mentioned! Thanks! _

_Um… so… yeah. Is this funny? It's supposed to be, and the situations will get funnier as the plot progresses. So yeah. Go read. _

Ron decided to take Ginny's advice.

"And _then, _Pig, you'll never guess what happened." Pigwidgeon cooed. "Ginny said that 'Mione'd knock that Derek guy off his heels! Great story, huh?" Ron stretched and tipped his chair back, as if waiting for praise. He was all too surprised when a voice spoke from behind him.

"It certainly is a great story, little bro," George commented. Ron lost his balance sending his chair flying backwards.

"Blimey, George! Don't sneak up on people like that!" Ron glanced at his brother, rubbing his head ruefully.

"Hey, he didn't mean to do it," Fred appeared from behind George, reaching down to ruffle Ron's hair

"Hey, stop it! Stop!" Ron shouted angrily, swatting Fred's hand away.

"It doesn't seem like Hermione would _do _that." George remarked.

"Yeah, that's what I said when Ginny told me the story." Ron clapped a hand to his mouth. "Ginny." He breathed, blanching.

"Well, we know how horrendous she is to look at, but you don't have to go that far." Fred joked.

"You guys weren't supposed to know!" Ron moaned. "Gin made me _swear_ I wouldn't tell anyone."

"Well, little bro, you can count on us!" Fred proclaimed as his twin put a hand to his heart. Fred mirrored the gesture.

"Upon our gravest honor!" George added.

"You guys better not break your word," Ron warned. "I'm going to tell Ginny you're here. Are you two staying for dinner?"

"We weren't going to, but you need the company. So, sure. We'll stay." Fred answered. As Ron left the room, he glanced back towards his brothers. Jeez, he hoped they could stay quiet about all this.

----

Hermione walked down the road, still unsure of the clothing choices made by Ginny. Although she almost opted for sneakers, Hermione decided against it. If she went as a slut, it wouldn't do for her shoes not to match the theme.

Instead, she wore thick heeled, knee high boots. As she walked down the busy street, she regretted the choice. Already, about ten cars had stopped, honking their horns appreciatively. And her feet were beginning to ache.

"I don't even know the damned café name," Hermione grumbled as she yanked her skirt down, cursing herself for submitting to Ginny's absurd demands.

"Hermione!" Derek appeared in front of her. "I realized I forgot to tell you the address, so I waited her for you praying that you would come in this direction." He laughed.

"Thanks," Hermione said, hoisting her purse a little further up her shoulder.

"It's just a little walk this way. Did you drop that stick off for your dog?" Derek joked. Hermione went rigid. Her wand. No matter, she could 'realize' she dropped something a rush to a bush, disappearate… no, she didn't have her wand.

"Um. Just left it at home." Hermione smiled weekly. How could she forget something as crucial as a _wand? _If anything happened… nothing would happen! The sun shone, there were people all around.

Then again, one the day of the final battle, she had been surrounded by wizards and he had attacked. No, Voldemort was dead. But many of his cronies lived on.

Come on. What was she doing, worrying about this? A hot guy had asked her on a date, and here she was on that date, and she spent the entire time worrying about her wand? Nothing would happen.

"So," Hermione said, taking Derek's hand in her own. "How's life?"

----

"It's pretty good," George answered to Ginny's question. "The joke shop is going great, that dumb ass guy who crammed sixteen Ton-Tongue Toffees into his fat mouth didn't win much money in the case."

"Yeah, but we can't sell any of the Toffees we already made. We now have to tell patrons not to eat more than one at a time in small print. Luckily, we were almost out of the current batch, but all the same…" Fred added, trailing off.

"How could somebody be stupid enough to eat _sixteen?_" Ginny laughed. "Couldn't he tell that his tongue was engorging all the while?"

"I suppose not." George said.

"It's not like everything you've done is smart either, you know." Ron grumbled. "Remember the time that you _ingested _doxy droppings?!" Ron exclaimed. "You must be pretty stupid to do that."

"I remember that!" Ginny giggled. "You had had sore and blisters all over… um… sensitive places for months, and you refused to tell mum because you were frightened she would punish you."

"And they gradually spread all over, up your stomach and onto your arms," Ron continued.

"Your legs and feet," Ginny added, stifling a snort of laughter.

"Simply everywhere. You didn't tell mum or dad for _months _because you were frightened they would get mad." Ron recounted as the twins cringed.

"Enough, _enough!_" Fred bellowed as his twin nodded in hearty agreement. "We all know the story, there's no point in retelling it."

"And then, when you finally did tell dad and he took you to St. Mungos," Ginny continued with a mischievous glint in her eye as she passed the story to Ron,

"You came back home, all fixed up. Blisters, boils, everything gone." Ron grinned as his brothers.

"Up to your room…" Ginny trailed off.

"Where you ever so promptly –" George suddenly cut Ron off.

"Yes, we know, we know! We ate the doxy eggs we saved." Both twins turned a pronounced shade of tomato red, grimacing at the memory as Ron and Ginny collapsed in a fit of giggles.

"Really," Ginny snorted, attempting to stifle her desperate laughter. "Who could be so _stupid?_" Ron nodded incredulously. Fred and George glanced at each other, a dangerous gleam in their eyes.

"This topic," George began, giving a subconscious scratch to his arm where Ginny knew a nasty scar from the mishap lay hidden, "Is bringing back memories that, quite frankly, I'd prefer, _not _to remember." /.';

"I second the motion." Fred raised his hand. "I propose we change topics." He nodded at George as if to say, _Let's do it! _

"So, Ron, Ginny."

"Loves. How's our old friend –" Fred cocked his head to the side, looking fondly towards his siblings.

"You know the one,"

"Hermione?"

"Yes, dear old Hermione." George nodded his head approvingly. "A nice girl indeed."

"How's she doing?" As Ron watched, terrified, Ginny's happy, inquisitive, amused expression morphed into one of complete rage. She turned to Ron, seething.

"I don't know. Why don't you ask _Ron._" She growled. Ron squeaked and sunk further into his chair.

----

"I haven't seen you in _years._" Derek said, looking into Hermione's eyes. He held her hands across the table, both of their arms carefully avoiding the now empty plates of food and glasses with nothing but ice left. "Where did you go? I know you went to boarding school, but during the summer, you were never here either."

"My parents don't often see me. We usually go on a summer long vacation, but this year, they were just too wrapped up with work. I have to say, with this business, I don't really mind." Hermione squeezed his hand.

"It's great to have you back. I always did have a bit of a crush on you, even as a fifth grader. Of course, then I was too arrogant to admit it." Derek chuckled sheepishly.

"Aren't we all?" Hermione agreed, joining in the laughter. During lunch they covered all the basics: school (Hermione had frozen up on this one, saying that it was a small ladies school in the Alps which he probably wouldn't recognize), parents, friends, swapping short antidotes back and forth.

Now they moved on to deeper things in Hermione's perspective. After three years with Oliver, a change of scenery was a nice thing to have.

Derek dropped Hermione's hands, not unkindly, leaning back in his chair, a contented expression on his face. "So, Hermione, do you," Derek paused, not looking so relaxed. He shuffled his feet, and Hermione suspected that under the table, he wrung his tanned, manly hands.

"There's a dance at Sharon Pelowki's house on Saturday – you remember her, don't you?" Hermione nodded, fighting a smirk. Sharon wasn't the nicest of people, but then again, maybe she'd changed. "Well, I was wondering. Do you want to go with me?" Derek sped through the sentence without taking a single breath.

"Well," Hermione paused. The decision had been made the second Derek finished speaking, but her numerous teen magazines told her that stringing any guy along would drag him in. "I may be busy. My parents were thinking of taking me on a weekend jaunt to the country." The hurt shone in Derek's eyes. "But I suppose I could skip it." Hermione grinned. "I'd love to."

Derek beamed. "I'll pick you up on Saturday, then? Is seven-o'-clock okay?" Derek asked tentatively.

"Oh," Hermione bit her lip. "I'm busy then." Once again, Derek's face fell. Guilt instantly plagued Hermione. Damn those magazines. What did they know? "A quarter past?" she suggested. Derek seemed momentarily shocked until the meaning dawned on him. He chuckled.

"I'll be there – fashionable late, of course."

"Of course," Hermione agreed.

----

"I can't _believe _you told them!" Ginny screeched at Ron, looking more and more like Molly with each word. "This is _completely _unacceptable. It's worse and more erratic than anything you've ever done. Do you have a conscience? Do you have _any _regard for other people? Damnit, Ron!" Ginny added in a angry, rumbling growl. Ron shrunk under Ginny's wraith.

"Gin, it's not that bad, it's not like they'll tell." Ron mumbled in excuse. Ginny shook her head disapprovingly.

"There's no excuse, Ron. I trusted you not to tell." Ginny sighed wearily.

"Dear, dear Ginevra. Don't you _trust _your dear brothers?" Fred asked incredulously from where he now stood behind Ron. George stood behind him, clicking his tongue.

"Yes! We would _never _tell. Not a soul!" George continued. Ginny sighed.

"I'm not even going to bother." Ginny said, turning on her heel. "Remember to say good-bye when you leave," she called back to the twins. Suddenly stopping, she turned her head and looked directly at Ron. "And you aren't out of trouble yet. We'll talk later."

_So… good? Go read my other fic! The chapters aren't as long, but it's 21 chapters! WEEEEEEEEEE! Go read. Seriously. It's like, insanely good. _

_ Catie_


	3. Chapter 3

_Teehee. I find the chapter oddly entertaining. There's better stuff later, but for now I'm just sort of outlining the Characters and making a base for later situations. Please read my other, just finished fic (Avenging the Throne) and REVIEW!_

_Thanks to Little Tussi, Yabberli, Dea (not a penname), and Nina (not a penname) for reviewing! _

Hermione waved to Derek, leaning against the door frame until he rounded the sidewalk corner. Sighing contentedly, she closed the door and grinned dreamily.

After allowing herself a short moment to fantasize about her night out with Derek, Hermione mounted the stairs, trying to shake the muggle out of her thoughts. _What to do now? _She thought, still attempting to avert her desperate mind from the subject of Derek. _Maybe I'll floo Ginny…_ Hermione thought, turning left at the top of her stairs and sauntering into her room.

Hermione's eyes scanned the length of her bedroom, searching for the jar of green powder, almost depleted as a result of her constant floos to Ginny and Oliver. The thought of Oliver sent a pang of guilt through her mind, but, like Derek, she firmly shoved it out.

The jar stood on top of a shelf full of other such magical knickknacks which she wouldn't use until school began again. At twelve feet above, the jar was high above Hermione's reach, the reason being that it was too high for Crookshanks to jump and last time he got into the powder, it turned into a messy disaster and a bit of trouble with the ministry. Officials, Hermione found, weren't all that well trained in handling situations outside their short range of expertise.

She grinned at the memory of the wizard equivalent of police dashing about the house, cursing and shooting spells down the halls as they tried to catch her alarmed, bright green cat who seemed to be able to walk through walls, doors, and anything else in it's path, along with being spell-proof. Her parents, as one might imagine, were quite surprised to pull up after a dinner out to see their house erupting in what seemed like fireworks.

Now Hermione puzzled over how she would manage to get a hold of her floo powder. She surely couldn't reach it, for it had been placed on top of the bookshelf with her wand, and didn't especially feel like fetching her wand to get it down. Come to think of it, Hermione wasn't quite sure of the location of her wand.

"Ah well," Hermione muttered to herself, "Now is a good of a time as any,"

First, she looked on her impeccably clean desk, where Hermione usually kept it. The wand was not to be seen. Nor did it lie upon the bed, kitchen table, or anywhere else in the house that she could see.

In but an hour, the house looked as though a tornado ripped through it, tearing apart everything in its path. Hermione finally sunk into a chair in the thoroughly examined living room, breathing heavily and fighting not to break down in a fit of nervous tears.

"Okay, don't panic," she told herself aloud, smoothing her skirt frantically. "Maybe Gin accidentally took it," Hermione stood, breathing deeply in attempts to calm herself.

----

Hermione teetered dangerously on the precariously placed trash can, reaching as far as she possibly could make her fingertips stretch.

"_Don't _look down," she told herself. "Just get the jar and – and find a way to get down," Hermione gulped, squeezing her eyes shut. She felt the tower compiled of thick text books, various garbage cans from around the house, her desk chair, and a couple of plastic bins teeter dangerously beneath her.

Although Hermione felt as though her fingers were about to pop out of their sockets, she stretched them just a bit further and felt glass.

"Yes!" she whooped, giving a little laugh. Hermione edged her hands to the glass. Now that she felt it, her body gained a sudden elasticity. Her blind fingers groped the beam and glass. She pushed the jar a bit and felt it give. Frowning, Hermione stretched her finger tips a bit further, pushing herself onto tiptoes.

The jar gave some more. Hysterically now, she scrabbled at the glass, fingers slipping and sliding, pushing it a further towards the opposite edge each time they connected.

Hermione extended her entire body, maxing it to the limit, and, miraculously, her sweaty hands managed to wrap themselves around the jar. Greedily, she pulled it back, drawing it into her body.

"Yes!" she cried, hugging the glass tightly and giving a little hop. Even as her knees bent, Hermione knew that the action would lead to her demise. As her full body weight combined with the extra force of gravity crashed down upon her tower, it collapsed.

Hermione's face twisted into a horrified muddle of fright. Her hands flew apart in an unconscious movement to break her fall and, in doing so, let go of the jar.

As she fell, Hermione uttered one loud, terrified wail. "SHIT!"

----

"She _still _hasn't flooed me!" Ginny cried, tugging at a strand of hair twisted around her finger so tightly that her fingertips turned white.

"Gin, calm down. 'Mione can handle herself. She's a smart girl. Even if something _did _happen, which I'm sure it didn't, she has her wand. Even if she's going on a date with a muggle boy, she's not going to leave her wand at home. That's something _I _would do, not Hermione," Ron said, idly flipping through a magazine. "Why am I even looking at this?" He asked, looking in disgust at the cover of Witch Weekly before glancing back up at his sister.

"Is there some reason that you're so worried?" Ron asked. "Because Hermione is off on her own a lot, and unless there's something I don't know, you usually don't give a damn."

"Yes, there is something special about this case, Ron!" Ginny screeched, turning angrily on her brother. "I would much rather be off – off doing something rather than worrying about Hermione, but she doesn't have her wand!"

"How do you know? Did you tell her not to bring it or something, because in that case it's your fault and I'm leaving you to wallow in your own misery," Ron replied.

"No, I accidentally took it with me," Ginny moaned. "It's my entire fault if she gets kidnapped and dies,"

"Hermione isn't going to die. And how do you 'accidentally' bring a wand home, Ginny? Did you switch wands, because 'Mione can use yours,"

"No, I brought mine back with me. I stole a couple of Hermione's uglier sweaters to stop her from wearing them, and, in a rather frantic move, I managed to snatch up her wand when I took the sweaters," Ginny explained anxiously.

"Well, I'm sure she'll floo you," Ron said, throwing down the magazine and standing.

"But what if she's out of floo powder?" Ginny asked Ron, wringing her hands. Ron stood, unworriedly walking towards the door leading from Ginny's room to the hall. "Or what if he laced her drink with drugs or something? Maybe she –"

"Good bye, Ginny," Ron interrupted, slamming the door in his sister's face.

----

"Ouch," Hermione muttered, sucking in air as she dabbed medical cream on the large scrape which now adorned her left thigh. She glanced at the clock. Almost five. God, Hermione hoped her parents would come home late as usual.

The last thing she needed was them asking how she'd lost her wand and then, not wanting to lie, she'd have to tell them all about Derek and questions would ensue, and eventually they'd end up asking about "whatever happened to the nice boy Oliver?"

The door slammed shut and Hermione heard her parents come in, speaking to each other. Damn.

"Honey, we're home!" Hermione's mother called.

"I'm upstairs," Hermione hollered back. She heard the sounds of her parents mounting the stairs and before long they rounded the corner, eyes scanning their daughter and simultaneously stopping on her leg where the white cream was generously applied.

"What happened to your leg, Hermione?" her father, David asked suspiciously.

"Just trying to get the floo powder. I put it on the top beam in my room after the last incident with Crookshanks and fell trying to get it,"

"Why didn't you just use your wand, dear?" Her mother, Sophia asked rather shrilly, being no stranger to the wizarding world.

"It's – uh, lost." Hermione told them.

"Well it's quite an abrasion you've got there," David speculated. "I suppose the missing wand is the reason for the living room?" Hermione's face reddened.

"Whoops," she excused herself. "I forgot,"

"Why were you flooing anybody anyway?" Sophia asked. "You could have waiting until we got home and your father could help you,"

"Yeah, well…. I was trying to find my wand," Hermione said meekly.

"Why would you need floo powder?" David asked.

"I though maybe Gin would have it,"

"Why would Ginny have your wand?" David pressed. "That's quite an abrasion and I want to know what made you go to such lengths to get floo powder,"

"Well, Ginny was over here earlier helping me get dressed and I figured she may have it," Hermione explained.

"As far as I know, you can dress yourself, Hermione," Sophia arched an eyebrow quizzically. Hermione bit her lip, cursing her mention of Ginny.

"Well I was going out on a date and – "she began.

"Wait, wait, I'm lost. Why would you require help getting dressed for a date? I thought Oliver liked you the way you are."

"The date wasn't with Oliver," Hermione explained tentatively. "I –"

"Oh, honey! Did you two break up?" Sophia asked, instantly stepped forward to sling an arm around her daughter.

"Well, erm… not exactly," Hermione withered under her parents' twin glares. "Or… uh, well we're taking a break," she told them, shuffling her feet nervously. Sophia's hardened frown instantly softened into a sympathetic pout.

"Poor baby," Her mother cried, jumping to Hermione's side. The bushy haired girl visibly shrunk and glanced at Stuart. He stared back at her, eyes boring into hers as if to say, _I know you're lying but I'll wait until later to question you. _Hermione gulped.

_Was this okay? Now... **GO REVIEW!**  
_


	4. Chapter 4

_Wow, its been a long time since I updated. I have some really good ideas for what's going to happen next! This won't be a super long ficcie or anything, probably around ten chapters, but I think it'll be good. Oh, and just an FYI, Hermione was really out of character last chapter, but I _think _she may have gotten better… I hope so. Anyways, I wrote a long chapter (for me, anyways), so read away!_

_UPDATE: I changed the end of this, special mentions to Natalie (Yabberli) because she gave me this idea. I think that it's MUCH funnier. _

"Hermione?" Sophia's voice floated into Hermione's dreams. "There's a boy on the phone for you! It doesn't sound like Oliver, although I'm sure he'll come around. He asked about a dog? Anyways, I told him you'd call him back." Hermione sat up in bed.

"Oh! Um, inside joke." She excused herself, looking up to where her mother stood in the doorway.

"Ah. Well, there's a phone call for you anyways, I wrote the number down next to the phone in the downstairs hallway," Sophia explained, buttoning up her shirt. "Your father and I are leaving for work in about five minutes and we'll be back late tonight, around ten because we have a quick dinner with some friends. Do you have any plans?"

"I was thinking of going to a party somebody mentioned. To catch up with my old friends, you know?" Hermione explained, carefully skirting the subject of her escort.

"Well, be back before midnight, okay?"

"Sophia, we'll be late!" Albert called from downstairs.

"Sorry honey, I've got to rush to work," Sophia darted into Hermione's room and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you tonight, and don't forget the phone call!" Hermione's mother called over her shoulder as she left the room. In a few moments, she heard the door slam shut and as she looked out the window, her father's car pulled out of the driveway and into the street, and in but a moment, they had turned the corner and were gone.

Hermione rested against her bed frame for a moment before reaching down to where Crookshanks lay curled contentedly on her legs, giving him a quick scratch behind the ears before lifting the cat off her lap. He glared up at her as he landed with a soft _thump _on the comforter.

Only minutes later, she found herself downstairs in her bathrobe, reaching automatically for her wand in order to prepare her breakfast only to recall her loss of the instrument. Sighing and strategically forcing back the worry, Hermione prepared to craft a meal for herself without the aide of magic.

After cracking thee eggs into a pan and popping two pieces of wheat bread into the toaster, Hermione darted into the hall, picking up the portable phone and the number scrawled on a post-it note.

Returning into the kitchen to check on the sizzling eggs, she dialed the number, her fingers shaking with the exhilaration. On the third ring, the familiar male voice spoke into the phone: "Hermione?"

"This is she! My mum said you called," Hermione explained.

"Oh, yeah. I did. I know that we're seeing each other tonight, but I was wondering if you wanted to walk around Coleman park with Max and uh… Fifi?"

"Fifi?" Hermione raked her mind for whatever lie she had told him. Suddenly it hit her: Fifi was the made up name for her imaginary dog. "Oh! Fifi! She's um, still at the vet."

"Oh," Derek sounded extremely put out. "Well then. I guess I'll just see you tonight, then." Hermione almost stopped herself. Usually her willpower stopped her, but obviously this boy cast a spell on her that no amount of self restraint or magic could block.

"Well, I'm supposed to go get her in about fifteen minutes. Can I meet you at Coleman in say, an hour?"

"I have to be fashionably late," Derek joked. Hermione provided what she hoped was a charming giggle.

"Alright, see you then!" She said, and put the phone back on the cradle and walked back into the kitchen, where she found a pan of badly burned eggs. At the exact same time, the realization of her horrendous dilemma settled upon her shoulders. She said the only thing she could think to say, a word that summed it all up.

---

"Fuck."

Ginny had checked to make sure that the floo networks where up, as well as ensuring that no owls had been sent, though Hermione didn't have an owl. She'd even checked the seldom used post box, but that was empty as well.

"What's up, little sis?" Fred appeared behind Ginny, ruffling her orange locks.

"Stop it! You'll mess up my hair!"

"It's fine right now," George said, also tousling his sister's hair, a bit more so than Fred. "There we are. _Now _it's messed up." He laughed.

"That didn't help," Ginny grumbled, smoothing her tresses back down. "And what's up is that Hermione still hasn't contacted me about her wand. I'm starting to get worried."

"If anything's happened to her, it's that she's been trapped under a pile of books in the library, and I'm sure she's created a little den made of Dickens and Shakespeare and now happily absorbed in the newest muggle novel," George snickered.

"This is serious, guys," Ginny moaned. "What if something's wrong?"

"Aaaand why don't you just apparate over to her house?" George suggested.

"Well what if they're – you know – in the middle of something?" Ginny asked worriedly.

"Gin, if you're this worried, you should go over there," Ron said, walking into the shabby living room where his siblings stood. "I was listening in from the kitchen," he quickly explained. He looked over to his brothers, who nodded in agreement with his suggestion to Ginny.

"Fine," Ginny said doubtfully. "But if they are doing… stuff, I blame you."

"Gin, she's Hermione, not you," Fred interjected wryly.

"I guess I see what you mean. You guys watch the house, and if any of your friends come over, you'd better not tell them about "Mione, promise?" The boys nodded with a chorus of, "Obviously," and "Duh."

Satisfied that the secret would remain safe, Ginny climbed the steep staircase leading to her room in order to retrieve Hermione's wand before she left.

---

Of course, Hermione always could have backed out by saying Fifi was still at the vet's, but sooner or later, she would have to confront the problem. Thus, an hour later, she stood just inside the gates of Coleman Park, praying that her makeshift canine would react well to Derek's dog, Max.

She glanced down at Crookshanks as the cat wove itself between Hermione's legs, rubbing off a small amount of white, temporary spray-on dye on her new jeans. The brunette grimaced at the mark and prayed one last time that this ruse would pull through for her.

"Hermione!"

The girl turned around so see Derek jogging towards her with a big, lolloping black dog, presumably Max. Reaching her, he stopped and glanced around, holding a suddenly struggling Max tightly on his leash. "Stop it," he said to Max, lightly smacking him on the shoulder. The dog fell into a sit, but his eyes still possessed an excited look which implied that he was ready to take a bounding leap at any moment. "Where's Fifi?" Derek said, looking expectantly at Hermione.

"Um," Hermione looked around before realizing that she stood in front of Crookshanks. "Right here! He's hiding." She stepped behind the cat. The moment he became visible, Max jumped at him, sending Derek careening forwards.

"MAX! NO! BAD DOG!" He bellowed, desperately pulling back on Max's leash. Crookshanks, thoroughly alarmed, yowled and flew to Hermione's leg, digging his sharp claws into her pants and flying up to her thigh where he firmly attached himself.

Hermione shrieked in pain, reaching down and batting at the cat until he finally let go of her leg and dropped to the ground with a soft pat and shot off in away from Max, only to be unpleasantly surprised when his leash stopped him quite effectively.

As Hermione stood, Derek slowly regained control over Max, who promptly threw himself at Hermione and gave her a slurp across the face. A sharp intake of breath indicated her surprise. Derek, obviously horrified, yanked Max back down, muttering, "Bad dog, no," to him as he did so.

"Well," Hermione said as a space filler, trying to regain her composure. "That was an… exciting greeting." Derek grimaced.

"Sorry about Max. He's usually energetic, but not this much. Something must have set him off. He usually only gets that way about cats, and unless you're hiding something from me, Fifi is a dog," Derek joked with a laugh. Hermione grinned sickly and forced a chuckle of her own.

"Y-yes, because I always turn cats into dogs," she said, fervently hoping that he wouldn't find her out. "Shall we begin?"

"Sure!" Derek said enthusiastically. "I was thinking we could walk down to the lake and grab and ice cream or something, my treat."

"Sounds great!" Hermione said. "And just to warn you, Fifi is acting kind of weird. Something about him being at the vet."

"Him?" Derek asked, cocking his head to the side. Hermione blanched.

"Oh – oh yeah. Well, see, we thought he was a girl and by the time we'd already named him," she said, making it sound rather like a question.

"I see," Derek said, raising one eyebrow.

"Yeah," Hermione laughed. "Funny story, huh?"

"I guess," her companion said doubtfully. "Well, lets start walking, eh?" Hermione nodded, and, as they begin, barely flinched when he slid his hand around hers.

---

Ginny appeared with a _crack! _in Hermione's living room, Hermione's wand tucked in the back pocket of her jeans. She scanned the room, but didn't see anyone, nor did she find any life in the kitchen, basement or Hermione's bedroom. Wondering where the hell Hermione had gotten off to, Ginny wandered into the kitchen, intending to check the backyard.

Walking past the kitchen table towards the back door, Ginny stopped when she spied a sticky note with Hermione's neat script on it. She walked over and tore it away from the table, silently reading the note:

_Mum and Dad,_

_Derek _(this was heavily crossed out many times, but after a moment of puzzling, Ginny was able to make it out) _Some friends and I decided to take a walk in Coleman Park. I'm leaving this in case you come home early or I'm not back when you're here. I should be back by three or so, but if I decide to stay longer, I'll call you._

_Love, _

_Hermione_

Ginny chuckled, noting the small, mostly erased heart on one corner of the note pad bearing the faint emblem of D+H. Hermione's qualms about Oliver had obviously disappeared.

For a moment, Ginny considered leaving the wand on the kitchen table where Hermione would find it, but, realizing that this Derek guy would be with her friend, decided that going to find the older girl would be much more fun.

A slow, impish smile toasting her fair, freckled face, Ginny closed her eyes to focus on apparating to Coleman Park.

---

Moments later, a loud crack sounded from behind a tree, causing several people to turn and stare, searching for the source of the noise. A small number noticed a teenage girl with fiery red hair step from behind the tree with a pocket mirror in hand, examining her reflection, and then – odd though it seemed – counting her fingers and toes, as if checking to make sure they were all there.

Ginny glanced around, her eyes falling on a large sign which said COLEMAN PARK. "Got it," she muttered, grinning. "Now to find the love birds," she said with a gleam in her eye.

It was surprising how easy they were to find – though that may have been from the ruckus they were causing. Ginny had just begun her pursuit when a large, white, fluffy thing shot past her with a massive black beast on it's tail, followed closely by a tall, good looking teenager with brown hair, hazel eyes and fair skin, wearing a striped polo and shorts. Behind him came a worn out girl with bushy brown hair and a friendly face which Ginny knew quite well.

"'Mione!" Ginny yelled, breaking into a sprint in order to catch up with the group. Hermione glanced behind her, shock registering on her already distressed expression.

"Ginny!" She called, stumbling as she did so. "Oof!" she cried, careening into the grass. The redhead ran forward stopping at her friend.

"Is that him, then? God, he's fucking gorgeous," Ginny said, crouching down to Hermione's level.

"Yes, isn't he?" She agreed distractedly, squinting into the distance where the chase between her companions was still on. "God, I need to catch them but I can't run nearly that fast." Ginny nodded, discretely whipping out her wand and muttering a charm. Crookshanks suddenly slowed, allowing Max to pounce onto the cat with an excited yelp. With a wail of terror, Derek ran into the mess as well, landing on top of his dog and allowing Crookshanks to lope away.

"Well. That didn't quite turn out as plan, but it sorta worked," Ginny said, wrinkling her nose.

"It was better than anything I could have done without my wand. Speaking of which, it's lost. Do you happen to know where it went?"

"Oh, yeah!" Ginny cried, reaching into the back pocket and pulling out Hermione's wand. "I think I accidentally took it home. Here you go!" Hermione squealed and snatched the want away from her friend.

"God I need this thing _so _bad. Now how the hell do I conjure a dog?" The brunette asked frantically. "Or turn Crookshanks into a dog. But I'd feel so bad, the poor thing…" Hermione trailed off.

"What?" Ginny asked. The brunette glanced at her friend, and Ginny recognized a rather familiar look appear in her eyes. "Hermione… what are you going to do?" Ginny asked warily.

"Gin, you're going to hate me for doing this," Hermione said breathlessly. Ginny's eyes widened in terror.

"What are you –" Ginny began, but before she could get the words out, Hermione had pointed her wand at Ginny and muttered an incantation, thus causing the redhead to end her dismayed cry with a surprised, "Arf!"

_Slightly shorter, but I enjoy this version much more Please tell me what you think!._

_Loves,_

_Catie_


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